Indie book reviews

IndieReader’s reviewers are tough, but fair

Our Reviewers won’t judge your book as compared to other self-published titles, but against other books, period. Our ratings are based on the following criteria, although reviewers are able to award partial stars (i.e. a 1.3 or a 4.7), rather than rounding up or down to a whole or half number.

1/5

Really bad 
Work on it.

2/5

Mediocre
1-2 bright spots.

3/5

Good
Worth reading.

4/5

Very Good
1-2 spots that need work

5/5

Excellent!
Must-read.

* IndieReader receives compensation for most of the books it reviews, along with copies of those books.

IR Approved
May 19, 2023

UNLOST

By Cory Mortensen
Rating:
5.0 / 5.0

If great storytelling by a seasoned “world citizen” who truly knows his subject sounds appealing, then Cory Mortensen’s UNLOST (Roaming through South America on a...

Rating:
3.3 / 5.0

ONE REASON TO LIVE chronicles Christine Rose’s low-budget travel from country to country and celebrates the author's courage in clawing her way back to emotional...

IR Approved
April 7, 2023

MEDITATIONS ON BLUE JESUS

By Gil W Stafford
Rating:
4.1 / 5.0

Contemplative and inspirational, Gil W Stafford's MEDITATIONS ON BLUE JESUS offers an intimate look at the life and art of a remarkable artist living with...

IR Approved
March 20, 2023

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH

By Kristine McGuire
Rating:
5.0 / 5.0

Kristine McGuire's MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH is absorbing account of the history of Wyoming, an exploration of the West, a political analysis, social commentary,...

IR Approved
March 15, 2023

STORKED!

By K. C. Sanford
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Author K. C. Sanford digs deep into the adoption system in STORKED!, a well-researched, expertly written, and compelling memoir and a powerful and poignant journey...

IR Approved
March 10, 2023

THESE LIVES

By Eliade Moldovan
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Full of philosophical musings, gritty survival tales and unforgettable characters, Eliade Moldovan's THIS LIFE is a fascinating look at the little-understood world of postwar Romania.

IR Approved
March 1, 2023

MORBID THOUGHTS AND THE DOMINO EFFECT

By Perry Muse
Rating:
4.2 / 5.0

A genial and natural storyteller, Perry Muse infuses his memoir, MORBID THOUGHTS AND THE DOMINO EFFECT, with enormous charm and personality making it not merely...

February 27, 2023

THE BUDDHA AND THE BEE

By Cory Mortensen
Rating:
3.6 / 5.0

Though the narrative's reliance on contrived drama sometimes falters, Cory Mortensen 's memoir THE BUDDHA AND THE BEE (Biking through America's Forgotten Roadways on a...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Kathy Mydlach Bero's E.A.T. (An unconventional decade in the life of a cancer patient) is a heartfelt, compelling story of the author's harrowing battle with...

IR Approved
January 30, 2023

MORBID THOUGHTS AND THE DOMINO EFFECT

By Perry Muse
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Copiously illustrated and well designed, Perry Muse's MORBID THOUGHTS AND THE DOMINO EFFECT is a pleasure to read. Muse shares his story in meticulous detail...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.8 / 5.0

UNDERGROUND: A Memoir of Hope, Faith, and the American Dream--author ‘Deji Ayoade’s reflections on overcoming enormous obstacles and emigrating from Nigeria to the United States--is...

IR Approved
January 23, 2023

CHASING TARZAN

By Catherine Forster
Rating:
5.0 / 5.0

A candid and keenly observed story of childhood trauma and its ripple effects, Catherine Forster's CHASING TARZAN is by turns heartrending and inspirational, told with...

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